the lesser bourgeoisie-第40部分

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treaty　of　the　four　powers；　an　insult　to　France；　is　now　an　established
historical　fact；　but　it　is　necessary　to　remind　the　reader　that　from
July　to　the　last　of　August　the　French　funds；　alarmed　by　the　prospect
of　war；　a　fear　which　Monsieur　Thiers　did　much　to　promote；　fell　twenty
francs；　and　the　Three…per…cents　went　down　to　sixty。　That　was　not　all：
this　financial　fiasco　had　a　most　unfortunate　influence　on　the　value　of
real　estate　in　Paris；　and　all　those　who　had　such　property　then　for
sale　suffered　loss。　These　events　made　Theodose　a　prophet　in　the　eyes
of　Brigitte　and　Thuillier；　to　whom　the　house　was　now　about　to　be
definitely　sold　for　seventy…five　thousand　francs。　The　notary；　involved
in　the　political　disaster；　and　whose　practice　was　already　sold；
concealed　himself　for　a　time　in　the　country；　but　he　took　with　him　the
ten　thousand　francs　for　Claparon。　Advised　by　Theodose；　Thuillier　made
a　contract　with　Grindot；　who　supposed　he　was　really　working　for　the
notary　in　finishing　the　house；　and　as；　during　this　period　of　financial
depression；　suspended　work　left　many　workmen　with　their　arms　folded；
the　architect　was　able　to　finish　off　the　building　in　a　splendid　manner
at　a　low　cost。　Theodose　insisted　that　the　agreement　should　be　in
writing。

This　purchase　increased　Thuillier's　importance　ten…fold。　As　for　the
notary；　he　had　temporarily　lost　his　head　in　presence　of　political
events　which　came　upon　him　like　a　waterspout　out　of　cloudless　skies。
Theodose；　certain　now　of　his　supremacy；　holding　Thuillier　fast　by　his
past　services　and　by　the　literary　work　in　which　they　were　both
engaged；　admired　by　Brigitte　for　his　modesty　and　discretion；for
never　had　he　made　the　slightest　allusion　to　his　own　poverty　or　uttered
one　word　about　money；Theodose　began　to　assume　an　air　that　was　rather
less　servile　than　it　had　been。　Brigitte　and　Thuillier　said　to　him　one
day：

〃Nothing　can　deprive　you　of　our　esteem；　you　are　here　in　this　house　as
if　in　your　own　home；　the　opinion　of　Minard　and　Phellion；　which　you
seem　to　fear；　has　no　more　value　for　us　than　a　stanza　of　Victor　Hugo。
Therefore；　let　them　talk！　Carry　your　head　high！〃

〃But　we　shall　still　need　them　for　Thuillier's　election　to　the
Chamber；〃　said　Theodose。　〃Follow　my　advice；　you　have　found　it　good　so
far；　haven't　you？　When　the　house　is　actually　yours；　you　will　have　got
it　for　almost　nothing；　for　you　can　now　buy　into　the　Three…per…cents　at
sixty　in　Madame　Thuillier's　name；　and　thus　replace　nearly　the　whole　of
her　fortune。　Wait　only　for　the　expiration　of　the　time　allowed　to　the
nominal　creditor　to　buy　it　in；　and　have　the　fifteen　thousand　francs
ready　for　our　scoundrels。〃

Brigitte　did　not　wait；　she　took　her　whole　capital　with　the　exception
of　a　sum　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　bought　into
the　Three…per…cents　in　Madame　Thuillier's　name　to　the　amount　of　twelve
thousand　francs　a　year；　and　in　her　own　for　ten　thousand　a　year；
resolving　in　her　own　mind　to　choose　no　other　kind　of　investment　in
future。　She　saw　her　brother　secure　of　forty　thousand　francs　a　year
besides　his　pension；　twelve　thousand　a　year　for　Madame　Thuillier　and
eighteen　thousand　a　year　for　herself；　besides　the　house　they　lived　in；
the　rental　of　which　she　valued　at　eight　thousand。

〃We　are　worth　quite　as　much　as　the　Minards；〃　she　remarked。

〃Don't　chant　victory　before　you　win　it；〃　said　Theodose。　〃The　right　of
redemption　doesn't　expire　for　another　week。　I　have　attended　to　your
affairs；　but　mine　have　gone　terribly　to　pieces。〃

〃My　dear　child；　you　have　friends；〃　cried　Brigitte；　〃if　you　should
happen　to　want　five　hundred　francs　or　so；　you　will　always　find　them
here。〃

Theodose　exchanged　a　smile　with　Thuillier；　who　hastened　to　carry　him
off；　saying：

〃Excuse　my　poor　sister；　she　sees　the　world　through　a　small　hole。　But
if　you　should　want　twenty…five　thousand　francs　I'll　lend　them　to　you
out　of　my　first　rents；〃　he　added。

〃Thuillier；〃　exclaimed　Theodose；　〃the　rope　is　round　my　neck。　Ever
since　I　have　been　a　barrister　I　have　had　notes　of　hand　running。　But
say　nothing　about　it；〃　added　Theodose；　frightened　himself　at　having
let　out　the　secret　of　his　situation。　〃I'm　in　the　claws　of　scoundrels；
but　I　hope　to　crush　them　yet。〃

In　telling　this　secret　Theodose；　though　alarmed　as　he　did　so；　had　a
two…fold　purpose：　first；　to　test　Thuillier；　and　next；　to　avert　the
consequences　of　a　fatal　blow　which　might　be　dealt　to　him　any　day　in　a
secret　and　sinister　struggle　he　had　long　foreseen。　Two　words　will
explain　his　horrible　position。



CHAPTER　XII

DEVILS　AGAINST　DEVILS

During　the　extreme　poverty　of　la　Peyrade's　first　years　in　Paris；　none
but　Cerizet　had　ever　gone　to　see　him　in　the　wretched　garret　where；　in
severely　cold　weather；　he　stayed　in　bed　for　want　of　clothes。　Only　one
shirt　remained　to　him。　For　three　days　he　lived　on　one　loaf　of　bread；
cutting　it　into　measured　morsels；　and　asking　himself；　〃What　am　I　to
do？〃　At　this　moment　it　was　that　his　former　partner　came　to　him；　having
just　left　prison；　pardoned。　The　projects　which　the　two　men　then　formed
before　a　fire　of　laths；　one　wrapped　in　his　landlady's　counterpane；　the
other　in　his　infamy；　it　is　useless　to　relate。　The　next　day　Cerizet；
who　had　talked　with　Dutocq　in　the　course　of　the　morning；　returned；
bringing　trousers；　waistcoat；　coat；　hat；　and　boots；　bought　in　the
Temple；　and　he　carried　off　Theodose　to　dine　with　himself　and　Dutocq。
The　hungry　Provencal　ate　at　Pinson's；　rue　de　l'Ancienne　Comedie；　half
of　a　dinner　costing　forty…seven　francs。　At　dessert；　after　Theodose　had
drunk　freely；　Cerizet　said　to　him：

〃Will　you　sign　me　bills　of　exchange　for　fifty　thousand　francs　in　your
capacity　as　a　barrister？〃

〃You　couldn't　get　five　thousand　on　them。〃

〃That's　not　your　affair；　but　ours；　I　mean　monsieur's　here；　who　is
giving　us　this　dinner；　and　mine；　in　a　matter　where　you　risk　nothing；
but　in　which　you'll　get　your　title　as　barrister；　a　fine　practice；　and
the　hand　in　marriage　of　a　girl　about　the　age　of　an　old　dog；　and　rich
by　twenty　or　thirty　thousand　francs　a　year。　Neither　Dutocq　nor　I　can
marry　her；　but　we'll　equip　you；　give　you　the　look　of　a　decent　man；
feed　and　lodge　you；　and　set　you　up　generally。　Consequently；　we　want
security。　I　don't　say　that　on　my　own　account；　for　I　know　you；　but　for
monsieur　here；　whose　proxy　I　am。　We'll　equip　you　as　a　pirate；　hey！　to
do　the　white…slave　trade！　If　we　can't　capture　that　'dot；'　we'll　try
other　plans。　Between　ourselves；　none　of　us　need　be　particular　what　we
touchthat's　plain　enough。　We'll　give　you　careful　instructions；　for
the　matter　is　certain　to　take　time；　and　there'll　probably　be　some
bother　about　it。　Here；　see；　I　have　brought　stamped　paper。〃

〃Waiter；　pens　and　ink！〃　cried　Theodose。

〃Ha！　I　like　fellows　of　that　kind！〃　exclaimed　Dutocq。

〃Sign：　'Theodose　de　la　Peyrade；'　and　after　your　name　put　'Barrister；
rue　Saint…Dominique　d'Enfer；'　under　the　words　'Accepted　for　ten
thousand。'　We'll　date　the　notes　and　sue　you；all　secretly；　of　course；
but　in　order　to　have　a　hold　upon　you；　the　owners　of　a　privateer　ought
to　have　security　when　the　brig　and　the　captain　are　at　sea。〃

The　day　after　this　interview　the　bailiff　of　the　justice…of…peace　did
Cerizet　the　service　o